Nangarhar police chief threatens TV journalist

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Journalists on Sunday accused the police chief for eastern Nangarhar of threatening a colleague, denouncing the act against the freedom of expression.

Aryana television reporter Rahmatullah Zyarmal told a news conference in Jalalabad he was interviewing Brig. Gen. Fazal Ahmad Sherzai about the security situation a day earlier when he insulted him and forced him out of his office.

He said he was not allowed to go out of the police headquarters for two hours. “The police chief forcibly snatched our camera and washed the cassette and threatened us with arrest,” he complained.

Zyramal said the Nangarhar police chief created hurdles to journalists and was not allowing them to ask questions about the increasing insurgent attacks in the province.

Writer and journalist Mohammad Asif Shinwari strongly condemned the inappropriate behavior of Sherzad, urging the authorities concerned to seriously investigate the issue.

He said they already had shared the issue with the provincial administration. “This is not for the first time, journalists have faced similar incidents in the past. We are fed up.”

Another journalist, Shah Mahmoud Shinwari said: “The latest incident amounts to violation of the freedom of speech. Bodies advocating for the rights of journalists should not stay silent on the issue.”

mm/ma

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